Rail-sander



A. J. HALL.

RAIL SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-B, 19].).

1,303,300. Patented May 13, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

WITNESSES: INV ENTOR d I: M Arfgr. J //a// i u I v ATTORNEY A. J. HALL.

RAIL SANDER.

. APPLICATION FILED DEC.8. I915- I 1,303,300, Patented May13,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@mmw 2 7Z$amder I A8 WITNESSES 1 iNVENTOR Arffiz/g f Ha/l ATTORNEYUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR J. HALL, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOTISEELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PEN N S'YLVANIA.

RAIL-SANDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application filed December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,705.

To all whom it may concern y y Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HALL, asubject of the King of Great Britain, and a Another obj ectof myinvention is to eflect economies in the consumption of compressed air orother operated fluid and in the consumption of sand.

A third object of my invention is to provide an efliciently-operatedrail sanding system of the gravity-fed type.

A further object of my invention is to provide a system of the abovespecified character wherein the sand reservoirs and delivery tubes maybe more conveniently located than in such systems as are now commonlyemployed.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a sand-delivery tube with ajointed agitating rod which was given a reciprocating motion. It hasalso been proposed to prevent the clogging of the delivery tubes byforcing a fluid through them. Experience has shown that the formermethod of effecting the delivery of sand to the rails is expensive tooperate by reason of the large quantity of fluid required for theactuation thereof and isexpensive to install. The latter system requiresa large quantity of fluid for its operation and is wasteful in the useof sand because the sand is scattered by the operating fluid as itemerges from the deliverypipe. This same action causes the fine sand tobe blown into the bearings and other movably related parts of thelocomotive and thus hastens the wearing away thereof. The. sand used in such asystem must be clean and dry. y

My invention provides a ravity-fe'd sanding system which avoids t edisadvantages of the above recited systems and has other advantages thatare herein set forth.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a side elevational view of aportion of a locomotive embodying a sanding system such as I propose;Fig. 2 is a side view, partially in section and partially in elevation,of a sand reservoir and its associated. delivery tube; Fig. 3 is a sideview, partially in section and partially in elevation, of a reciproeating engine for use with a sanding device embodying my invention; Fig.4 is a diagrammatic view of a sanding system and in cludes a side View,partially in section and partially in elevation, of mechanisms foroperating the sanders; and Fig. 5 is a side view, partiallyin sectionand partially in elevation, of an operating mechanism that gay beincorporated in the system shown in Referring particularly to Fig. 1 ofthe drawing, the locomotive body 1 is provided with a truck 2 and aplurality of driving wheels 3 and 4 which operate on a rail 5. The truck2 is provided with a plurality of rail sanders (Sand 7 that areadaptedto feed sand to the rail 5.

Fig. 2 of the drawing shows a side view, partially in section, of asanding device such as is shown in combination with the loco motivetruck 2 audit comprises a sand reservoir 8, a delivery tube 9 that isadapted to carry sand from the reservoir 8 to the rail 5, and agitatingmeans 10 and 11. Asection 10 of the agitating means is rotatably mountedwithin the. reservoir 8 and is operatively connected to a jointed rodllthat extends through the delivery pipe 9. A laterally extending arm 12is ,removably connected to the rod member 10 and is arranged to give arotative movement thereto.

The section 10 of the rod member is provided with a plurality oflaterally extending arms 13 which are adapted to be given a rotativemovement by the rod 10. The section 10 is also provided with a segmentalvalvesection 14 that is of a well-known form wherein the section 14 isadapted to normally close the openings 15 through the section 16. Thevalve section 14isprovided with a plurality of openings 17 that ie isterwith the openings 15 when the mein er 14 is rotated through a givenangle. The member 16' also serves to support the agi ment to the arms 13and 19 and alternately opens and closes the rotary valve 14. Thus, thesand from the reservoir 8 is broken up by the arms 13 and is caused toflow freely from the reservoir through the valve 14 and the deliverypipe 9 to the rail 5.

A suitable means for imparting motion to the arm 12, that is shown inFig. 3, comprises a cylinder 20, apiston member 21 that is slidablymounted therein, and a spring 22 that tends to move the piston member 21to one end of the cylinder 20. A cylinder head 23 is provided with .aport 24 that is connected to a' suitable fluid valve (not shown in thisfigure). The cylinder 20 is also provided with a lug portion 25 to whichis secured a contact finger 26. The insulating strip 27 serves toelectrically insulate the contact finger. 26 from the lug portion 25.member 23 is slidably mounted upon the cylinder 20 by means of bearings29 and is provided with a lug portion 30 and armengaging members 31 and32. The contact finger 26 is adapted to cooperate with the contactterminal member 33 which is mounted upon, and electrically insulatedfrom, the lug portion 30. The piston member 21 is provided with an arm34 that is adapted to engage the projections 31 and 32, respectively, ofthe slidably-mounted member 28 when the same is moved in a backward orforward direction.

In Fig. 4, the above described device is shown operativ ely connected tothe arm 12 of the sanding deyice illustrated in Fig. 2 by means of theinterposed rod member 35. A suitable source of electrical, energy orbattery B is adapted to actuate an electromagnet fluid valve 36 when acircuit is established through the switch S. the energizing coil ofthemagnet valve 36 and the contact terminal members 26 and 33. Theelectromagnet fluid valve 36 is of a well-known type that is adapted toestablish a connection from the fluid-pressure supply pipe 3'? to theport 24 when the magnetizing coil of the magnet fluid valye is energizedand to establish a connection from the port 24 to the atmosphere whenthe magnetizing coil thereof is deenergized.

When it is desired to supply sand to the a ls-5.; e swi c S i cle el a da cu is thereby established from the positive terminal of the battery Bthrough the switch S, the energizing coil of the magnet valve 36, thecontact finger 26 and the terminal member 33 to the negative tern'iinalof the battery B. The coil of the magnet valve 36 is thus energized, andfluid under pressure is admitted into the cylinder 20 through the port24. The admission of fluid to the cylinder 20 causes pressure to beapplied against the piston head 23 and thereby causes the piston 21 tobe forced away from the cylinder head 23. The outward movement of thepiston 21 compresses the spring 22 and causes the arm 12 of the sandingdevice to be rotated through a small angle. This movement of the arm 12opens the sand valve 14 and causes sand to flow from the reservoir 8through the delivery pipe 9 to the rail 5, as hercinbefore set forth.The outward movement of the piston 2.1 causes the arm 34, which isassociated therewith. to engage the projection 31 of the slidablymounted member 28 and to move the same a short distance with the piston21. The movement of the member 28 causes the contact terminal 33 tobecome disengaged from the contact finger 26 and thus interrupt. theenergizing circuit for the magnet valve 36. Deie'nergizing the valvemagnet establishes a connection from the port 24 to the atmosphere andthereby releases the fluid pressure from the piston 21. and the actionof the spring 22 returns the piston to its initial position. As thepiston returns to the initial position, the arm 34 engages the stop 32and thereby causes the member 28 to move to a corresponding position.The terminal member 33 again engages the contact finger 26 andestablishes an energizing circuit for the magnet of the valve 36 andthus causes the above recited cycle to be repeated.

It will be seen that the closure of the switch S causes the arm 12 ofthe sanding device to be moved backwardly and ton wardly at rapidly andregularly recurrent intervals and thus insures an uninterrupted flow ofsand to the rails 5.

It will also be seen that the amplitude of the oscillation of the piston21 may be readily changed by altering the distance between thearm-engaging members 31 and 32.

Where a source of electrical energy is not available or isinconveniently located, I propose a device similar to that shown in Fig.5 for operating the sander. This device com prises a cylinder 40, apiston 41 and a spring 42 which are similar to those described inconnection with the mechanism shown in Fig.3 The cylinder 40 is providedwith an inlet port 43 and an exhaust port 44 that are adapted to bealternately closed by the slidably mounted valve member 45. Theextension 46 of the. piston v41 is slidably associated with the valvemember 45 and is provided with ahead member 47. A spring 48 isassociated with the valve member 45 and biases the same in an. upwarddirection.

When fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder 40 through theport 43, the piston 41 is moved outwardly until the head 47 engages theside of the valve 45 and causes the valve to close the inlet port 43 andto open the exhaust port 44. When the fluid pressure is released, thespring 42 forces the piston 41 to return to the oii position. Thiscauses the head member 47 to engage the valve member 45 and thus closethe exhaust port 44 and open the supply port 43. The

above cycle is repeated so long as fluid under pressureis admitted tothe cylinder 40.

These devices, as shown, are intended only to be illustrative ofsuitable means for accomplishing particular purposes, and it is evidentthat any other suitable means may be employed.

I do not Wish to berestricted to the specific structural details hereinset forth since various modifications thereof may be effected withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention, and I desire,therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed as are indicatedin the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rail sander, the combination with a sand-delivery pipe, offlexible agitating means extending through said delivery pipe only androtatably mounted therein.

2. In a rail sander, the combination with a sand reservoir having asand-delivery pipe, of an agitating means comprising plurality ofpivotally joined rod sections rotatably mounted Within said reservoirand delivery pipe.

8. In a rail-sanding system, the combination with a sand reservolrhaving a delivery tube, of agitating means rotatably mounted within saidreservoir and delivery tube, and

a valve actuated by said agitating means.

4. In a rail-sanding system, the combination with a sand reservoirhaving a delivery pipe, of an agitating device rotatably mountedtherein, and a fluid-pressure actuated means for imparting rotativemovement to said agitating device.

5. In a rail-sanding system, the combination with a sand reservoirhaving a delivery pipe, of an agitating device rotatably mountedtherein, and a fluid-pressure actuated and electrically-controlled meansfor imparting a rotative movement to said agitating device.

6. In a-rail sander, the combination with a sand reservoir having adelivery tube, of

an agitating means rotatably mounted therein, and a normally closed sandvalve associated with said agitating means and adapted to be opened whensaid agitating means is rotatedthrough a predetermined angle.

'7. In a rail-sanding system, the combination with a sand reservoirhaving a delivery tube, of an agitating device rotatably mounted thereinand comprising a plurality of pivotally joined rod sections, a normallyclosed sand valve associated with said agitating device and adapted tobe opened when said agitating device is rotated through a predeterminedangle, and means for actuating said agitating device comprising apiston, a spring for biasing said piston to a prede termined position, asource of fluid pressure, and a magnet valve that is automatically andsuccessively energized and deinergized by the movement of said piston torespectively admit fluid pressure to act upon said piston and to releasethe fluid pressure therefrom. i

8. In a rail-sanding system, the combination with a sand reservoirhaving a delivery tube, of an agitating device rotatably mounted thereinand comprising a plurality of pivotally joined rod sections, a normallyclosed sand valve associated with said agitating device and adapted tobe opened when said agitating device is rotated through a predeterminedangle, and means for actuating said agitating device comprising acylinder that is provided with an inlet port and an exhaust port, apiston, a spring for biasing said piston toward one end of saidcylinder, a source of fluid pressure, and a valve slidably mountedwithin said cylinder and associated with said piston and dependent uponthe movement of said piston for automatically and successively openingand closing said exhaust port and closing and opening said inlet port.

9. I11 a rail sander, the combination with a sand reservoir having acurved sand-delivery pipe, ofsand-agitating means compris ing aplurality of joined rod sections rotatably mounted within said reservoirand extending into said curved delivery pipe.

10-. The combination with a rail sander having a reservoir and asand-delivery pipe, of flexible sand-agitating means extending throughsaid reservoir and delivery pipe, and means for imparting a rotativemovement to said agitating means.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 30th dayof Nov.

ARTHUR J. HALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner otintents, wumman. 3'

